脉冲LDA侧面泵浦大能量Nd:YAG激光器时变热效应分析

建立了激光二极管阵列(LDA)侧面泵浦棒状Nd:YAG增益介质时变热效应理论计算模型。采用有限元Ansys软件模拟分析了脉冲LDA侧面泵浦大能量固体激光器的时变热效应特性。研究结果表明,所研究的脉冲LDA侧面泵浦大能量Nd:YAG激光器热效应具有时变特性,介质横截面内中心点处的稳态温度场分布随时间呈锯齿形周期变化,锯齿形变化频率为LDA泵浦频率,脉冲LDA泵浦参数对介质稳态温度场分布有较大影响。分析和计算了介质内热梯度、应力双折射以及激光晶体端面效应等导致的晶体热透镜焦距。计算表明,介质的热焦距主要来源于介质内温度梯度引起的热透镜焦距。     

脉冲LDA侧面泵浦大能量Nd:YAG激光器时变热效应分析

建立了激光二极管阵列（LDA）侧面泵浦棒状Nd:YAG增益介质时变热效应理论计算模型。采用有限元Ansys软件模拟分析了脉冲LDA侧面泵浦大能量固体激光器的时变热效应特性。研究结果表明,所研究的脉冲LDA侧面泵浦大能量Nd:YAG激光器热效应具有时变特性,介质横截面内中心点处的稳态温度场分布随时间呈锯齿形周期变化,锯齿形变化频率为LDA泵浦频率,脉冲LDA泵浦参数对介质稳态温度场分布有较大影响。分析和计算了介质内热梯度、应力双折射以及激光晶体端面效应等导致的晶体热透镜焦距。计算表明,介质的热焦距主要来源于介质内温度梯度引起的热透镜焦距。     

Analytical modelling of end thermal coupling in a solid-state laser longitudinally bonded by a vertical-cavity top-emitting laser diode

The intrinsic features involving a circularly symmetric beam profile with low divergence, planar geometry as well as the increasingly enhanced power of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) have made the VCSEL a promising pump source in direct end bonding to a solid-state laser medium to form the minimized, on-wafer integrated laser system. This scheme will generate a surface contact pump configuration and thus additional end thermal coupling to the laser medium through the joint interface of both materials, apart from pump beam heating. This paper analytically models temperature distributions in both VCSEL and the laser medium from the end thermal coupling regarding surface contact pump configuration using a top-emitting VCSEL as the pump source for the first time. The analytical solutions are derived by introducing relative temperature and mean temperature expressions. The results show that the end contact heating by the VCSEL could lead to considerable temperature variations associated with thermal phase shift and thermal lensing in the laser medium. However, if the central temperature of the interface is increased by less than 20~K, the end contact heating does not have a significant thermal influence on the laser medium. In this case, the thermal effect should be dominated by pump beam heating. This work provides useful analytical results for further analysis of hybrid thermal effects on those lasers pumped by a direct VCSEL bond.     

环形激光二极管抽运棒状激光器中瞬态温度和热应力分析

直接从激光二极管发光强度的角分布出发,采用光线追迹方法获得激光棒内的热沉积分布,在此基础上采用热传导模型和热力模型,比较了不同抽运功率、不同棒半径下达到稳态温度分布的时间,并且对稳态和瞬态热应力进行了详细模拟计算。结果表明,采用环形激光二极管阵列侧面抽运的棒状激光器中的热效应问题十分严重,不同的抽运结构参量下,温度分布不同;达到稳态所需时间随棒半径增大而增加,而不受抽运功率的影响;抽运功率越大,棒内温差增大,热应力也越大;热破坏主要集中于激光棒中心区域和表面区域。     

Analysis and compensation of thermal lens effects in Tm：YAP lasers

The thermal lens effects in Tm：YAP laser are analyzed by solving the Poisson equation with finite difference method. The thermal focal lengths measured are in the range of 40-90 mm at the pump power of 16-34 W, consistent with the simulation results. The temperature contribution coefficient （the linear coefficient between the maximum temperature in the laser crystal and the pump power） of 1.19 K/W is also obtained. The convex lens and plano-concave mirror thermal lens compensation methods are proposed and applied to a high power pumped Tm：YAP laser.     

薄片激光器热效应及其对输出功率的影响

建立了光强分布为高斯型的抽运光端面单程抽运时薄片激光器的温度模型, 实验测量了不同抽运功率下薄片介质表面的 温度分布、温度随时间的变化特性以及介质表面的温度差. 采用Hartmann法测量了薄片介质的热焦距. 考虑热焦距随抽运功率的变化, 基于四能级系统薄片激光器的速率方程组, 建立了薄片激光器热效应对输出功率影响的物理模型, 薄片激光器输入-输出功率曲线与实际相符. 所得结果对薄片激光器的设计和优化具有一定的指导意义.     

Thermal conductivity of e-beam coatings

We present the results of the study on the thermal conductivity of different thin film materials produced by conventional thermal evaporation. The main features of the thermal pulse method employed for the measurement of the thermal conductivity are described. Thermal conductivity can be measured by determining the traveling time of a thermal wave propagating trough the film. A pump laser beam is directed onto a sample consisting of a thin transparent test layer and a totally absorbing substrate for the laser wavelength. As a consequence of the laser pulse, a temperature profile builds up at the substrate-film interface. A thermal pulse starts to diffuse from the substrate-film interface to the surface of the layer. Therefore, the temperature rise at the surface of the test layer starts with a time delay with respect to the laser pulse. The time delay depends on the propagation time of the thermal wave through the layer and is related to the thermal conductivity and the thickness of the layer. Measurements are evaluated by calculations based on the finite difference method. The results show that the analyzed thin films have lower thermal conductivity than the corresponding materials in bulk form.     

数值模拟抽运分布对端泵激光器晶体热透镜球差的影响

为了研究端面抽运情况下,激光晶体在不同分布的抽运光抽运时热透镜球差的变化,通过对稳态热传导方程和Zernike多项式的求解,建立了热透镜球差与抽运光强度分布的模型,对模型进行了理论分析和仿真研究,并对仿真结果做了进一步理论和仿真分析.结果表明:在相同的抽运功率下,二阶超高斯分布抽运光抽运时球差最大,且随着抽运分布系数k的增大(除高斯分布外)球差逐渐减小;随着抽运功率的增加,抽运分布系数k对球差的影响逐渐加重,且不同分布系数k所产生的球差差距逐渐增大;并对二阶超高斯分布抽运光抽运得到最强激光功率的照射范围进行了理论分析和仿真分析,得知在相同抽运功率下,二阶超高斯分布抽运光得到最强激光功率的范围最宽为0.30—0.63倍高斯半径.     

Thermo-optic effects affecting the high pump power end pumped solid state lasers: Modeling and analysis

A complete solution of the thermal effect for continuous wave laser diode array fiber coupled high pump power end pumped actively solid state laser is presented. In this paper, the thermal loading resulted from energy transfer up-conversion effect for laser operated under different pulse repetition frequency has been taken into account in the overall thermal effects. The thermal loading transfer the absorbed pump power into non-uniform temperature distribution in the laser rod, and thus results in thermal strain, thermal stress, thermal dispersion of index, and thermally induced diffraction losses. For a practical laser cavity configuration containing the internal optical elements, we use spherical aberration theory to give a better explanation of experimental results via calculating diffraction losses quantitatively. According to analysis of thermal focal length experimental data, the results show that our calculated value of thermal loading under fixed Nd³⁺ doped concentration laser crystal is not a constant but a function of pump power instead. The theoretical predicted curve of thermal focal length based on our model is in good agreement with experimental measurements. At low pump power, the thermal loading is a linear function varying with pump power, but it begins to saturate at pump powers exceeding 6 W. This phenomenon is consistent with our physical intuitions.     

片状热容激光器热效应有限元分析

基于激光介质的非均匀内热源模型,利用有限元数值方法,模拟计算了热容模式下高功率激光二极管阵列(LDA) 重复脉冲泵浦片状激光介质的瞬态温度分布和热应力分布及其波前畸变和应力双折射。结果表明:热容模式下,当增益介质不能够被全口径泵浦时,也会出现严重的热效应,介质的表面靠近边缘处会出现大的拉应力集中,介质表面的最大轴向位移和最大拉应力随泵浦光斑尺寸缩小而增大;而当全口径泵浦时,介质表面热形变大大减弱,较小的拉应力存在于介质内部,而且泵浦光斑和介质的几何形状对热分布有很大影响。结果还表明,介质片表面变形和热光效应是产生波前畸变的主要原因,而热应力双折射产生的附加相移与激光介质的切割方向有关,它对光束产生较大的退偏作用,从而影响激光器的输出性能。理论模型得到了实验结果的验证。     

Influences of pump beam distribution on thermal lensing spherical aberration in an LD end-pumped Nd:YAG laser

A numerical investigation is made on the thermal lensing and spherical aberration effect in an LD end-pumped Nd:YAG laser. Based on the finite element method (FEM), the laser rod temperature distribution is calculated and the focal length of the thermal lens is deduced, the influences of pump beam on the thermal lensing spherical aberration are mainly studied. The results show the thermal lens which focal length varied with the radial coordinate r is not an ideal lens. Given the heat dissipation boundary conditions, the radial dependent focal length will be shortened when the pump power raised or the waist radius of the pump beam reduced, meanwhile the radial differences of the focal length will decrease when the pump power increased. For a Super-Gaussian profile pump beam, the higher the exponent number, the more similar to flat top the pump beam is, and the less the radial differences of the focal length are.     

二极管泵浦Nd:YAG薄片激光器技术研究

固体激光器向高平均功率发展的最大障碍是激光介质的热效应.采用薄片激光介质可以实现热流近一维分布,因而是解决固体激光器热效应的有效手段之一,但许多因素都会影响薄片的一维热分布.对薄片热分布的主要影响因素进行的计算分析表明,在均匀泵浦条件下,泵浦区径向温度的均匀性不仅和泵浦区面积与薄片厚度之比有关,而且和冷却区与泵浦区的相关尺寸有关.采用均匀耦合技术并合理设计薄片的散热冷却结构以实现热流近一维分布,用平均功率336 W的激光二极管阵列泵浦一块NdYAG薄片,获得了平均功率超过120 W的准连续激光输出.     

大能量钕玻璃棒状激光器新型热管理技术

针对kJ级大能量钕玻璃固体脉冲激光器,对比研究了传统恒温水冷方式和采用加热控制的新型热管理技术下的激光棒温度分布情况。结果表明,采用新型热管理技术可大大降低棒内温度梯度,减小泵浦过程中的热效应,确保大能量激光输出;而且加热循环水的最佳升温值在单泵浦脉冲引起的激光棒平均温升值附近,使得径向温差最小,该最佳升温值与脉冲间隔时间有关,比如脉冲间隔15 s时,循环水在每个脉冲过后的最佳升温值为单泵浦脉冲引起的激光棒平均温升值的0.85倍;采用加热控制后水温和激光棒温度整体升高,因此在工作一个脉冲串后,必须恢复激光棒温度到初始状态,然后再进行下一个脉冲串工作。     

Theoretical analysis of thermal effects in fiber laser from the moment when pump is turned on to steady-state

A theoretical analysis of the pump-induced temperature change and associated thermal phase shift occurring in a fiber laser is presented. The temperature rise and thermal phase shift from the moment when pump is turned on to steady-state in fiber lasers, such as Yb-doped fiber laser, are numerical calculated.With the same parameters, the numerical solution is in good agreement with the finite-element (ANSYS software) simulation.     

Efficient design considerations for end-pumped solid-state-lasers

The temperature distribution in the gain medium and key design parameters for an ideal-four level end-pumped solid-state laser have been analyzed depending on the crystal's length, absorption coefficient, and pump beam M² factor. The optimum key design parameters and thermal focal lens are obtained by minimizing the root mean square of pump beam radius in the laser crystal. It is found that the focal thermal lens and key design parameters are dependent on the gain medium characteristics and pump beam properties as well. By considering the Poisson equation in cylindrical coordinate and Top-Hat pumping profile, an analytical formula has been derived to introduce the thermal focal length in the end-pumped lasers. A formula is also presented to relate the requirements of pump source to the gain medium properties for working laser at the design point.     

大口径LD泵浦的激光放大器热沉积特性

 通过分析LD阵列端面泵浦片状放大器的工作特点，建立了对增益介质Nd:YLF进行热特性研究的有限元模型。针对泵浦能量空间均匀分布、高斯分布、超高斯分布三种情况，计算出了LD泵浦功率56 kW，脉冲宽度520 μs，重复频率10 Hz状态下晶体瞬时3维温度和热应力分布。研究结果表明：由于脉冲工作方式，晶体各节点温度随时间呈锯齿形变化，经过一段时间后吸热和冷却效果达到平衡，介质温度呈周期性变化；在相同泵浦峰值功率条件下，超高斯泵浦能量分布引起的温升和热应力最小，其最大值分别为103.3 ℃和47.6 MPa；有效泵浦功率密度达到10 kW/cm²量级时，介质极可能发生热致断裂。     

The analytical investigation of temperature distribution in off-central diode-pumped lasers

The influence of displacement of the pump source with respect to the crystal center on the thermal behavior of the laser crystal is studied analytically. We consider the pump energy to be deposited into the pump region which has been slightly displaced with respect to the crystal center. An analytical expression for temperature distribution for such off-central diode-pumped laser is investigated. The results are then applied to the Nd :YAG and Nd :YVO₄ laser crystals and compared with the conventional diode-pumped lasers. We showed that in this special case, the temperature distribution equation in the off-central pumping convert to the conventional central pump scheme.      

Optothermal effects of laser modes in laser materials processing

All laser materials processing involves two fundamental phenomena: the conversion of optical energy into thermal energy, and the generation of thermal stresses in the laserprocessed materials. The distributions of the thermal energy and stresses in the substrate depend on the laser mode used for materials processing. A proper understanding of the temperature and stress distributions is essential for producing high-quality products using the laser technology. The solution of the complete thermoelastic problem is very complex and requires numerical methods. This paper presents simple analytic expressions for the temperature and thermal stress distributions in the substrate processed with TEM₀₀ and TEM _inf01 ^sup* mode laser beams. The temperature is found to be maximum at the point that encounters the maximum laser intensity. The thermal stress distributions are found to be different owing to the differences in the laser modes used for this study.     

片状热容激光器热效应有限元分析

 基于激光介质的非均匀内热源模型,利用有限元数值方法,模拟计算了热容模式下高功率激光二极管阵列(LDA) 重复脉冲泵浦片状激光介质的瞬态温度分布和热应力分布及其波前畸变和应力双折射。结果表明:热容模式下,当增益介质不能够被全口径泵浦时,也会出现严重的热效应,介质的表面靠近边缘处会出现大的拉应力集中,介质表面的最大轴向位移和最大拉应力随泵浦光斑尺寸缩小而增大;而当全口径泵浦时,介质表面热形变大大减弱,较小的拉应力存在于介质内部,而且泵浦光斑和介质的几何形状对热分布有很大影响。结果还表明,介质片表面变形和热光效应是产生波前畸变的主要原因,而热应力双折射产生的附加相移与激光介质的切割方向有关,它对光束产生较大的退偏作用,从而影响激光器的输出性能。理论模型得到了实验结果的验证。     

激光二极管端面抽运室温Tm,Ho:YLF连续固体激光器

报道了激光二极管端面抽运Tm，Ho：YLF固体激光器的输出特性.室温下，选用不同透过率的输出耦合镜进行了实验研究，确定了最佳输出耦合镜透过率为2%. 利用小孔扫描的方法，得到了激光远场的光强分布，证明激光为基横模输出，并且给出了热焦距随抽运功率的变化关系.通过在激光谐振腔内插入两个固体Fabry-Perot标准具的方法，获得了2μm激光的单频输出，阈值功率为250mW，在抽运功率为2.8W时，单频输出功率为118mW.此单频激光器可用作激光振荡器和激光放大器的种子源. 关键词： 激光光学 激光二极管 Tm Ho:YLF固体激光器 单频